“It will, though!” said Rose.

Still they floated, and for a time they were silent, contented to be out in the sunshine.

Then suddenly Rose looked up at Polly, quick terror in her eyes.

“Polly, Princess Polly!” she cried, “is there any chain on this boat?”

“Why of course!” said Polly, “didn’t you see Donald fasten it to that big iron ring on the post?”

Rose leaned forward and looked into Polly’s eyes.

“I saw him fasten one end of it, Polly, and so did you, but was the other end fastened to this boat?’

“Why, yes, I—­oh, Rose, you don’t think we’re—­drifting?” gasped Polly.

“You can’t get up, and turn round,” said Rose, “because Uncle John told us always to keep our seats in a boat, but can’t you just twist round enough to see?”

With great care Polly turned, and saw just what she feared—­the ring on the boat and no chain connected!

With a white little face Polly turned, and with parted lips looked at Rose.

“We are drifting—­just drifting!” she whispered hoarsely.

“Drifting!” cried Rose.  “Oh, Polly, what shall we do?”

“Sit still,” whispered Polly, “and wait—­just wait!”

“What will Uncle John do?  And where will he think we are?” said Rose.

“Oh, I don’t know!” wailed Polly, “but I’m sure we ought to do something.  Just look how far we are from the shore, and we’re going all the time!”

They looked in despair toward the beach.  No one was in sight, and the dancing waves glistened in the sunlight, as if they laughed, feeling no pity for the two frightened children in the boat.

“Do you s’pose we could row?” questioned Polly.

“I don’t know how,” said Rose, “but it didn’t look hard when Donald did it.”

They reached for the oars, but found that neither was strong enough to lift one, and Rose’s eyes filled with tears when she looked at Polly, while Polly’s brave effort to cheer Rose with a smile failed, because her own lips were quivering.

“Let’s sit down in the bottom of the boat, it seems safer,” said Rose.

They slipped from their seats, and each clung to the other.

“If only Uncle John knew!” wailed Rose.

“If only he knew!” echoed Polly, with a sob.

Still the little boat rocked lightly on the waves, and now they no longer tried to hide their fear, but cried, because they could not help it.

Out on a high bluff a tall, square-shouldered man leveled a powerful glass and looked out across the waves.

Evidently he saw what he was looking for, and hastily slinging the leather strap that held the glass over his shoulder, he strode down to the shore.

Completely tired, the two children lay sobbing and clinging to each other, no longer looking toward the shore, because now they were too far out to clearly see it.